walkins



(No Model.)

L; E. WALKINS.

TROLLEY AGTUATED $WITGH OPERATING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

No. 599,307. Patented F b. 15,1898.

A 1527 6 I a 3 y 2 lUhl'lTlED STaTns PATENT @FMQE;

LOUIS E. XVALKINS, OF SPRINGFIELD, lllASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO FRANOKE XV. DICKINSON, OF SAME PLACE.

TROLLEY-ACTUATED SWITCH-OPERAT-iNG DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS,

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,307, dated February 15, 1898. A li ati filed August 18,1897. Serial No. 648,738- (No model.)

To (ti/Z whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS E. \VALKINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Springfield, in the county of Ilampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Actuated Switch-Operating Devices for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices or appliances employed in connection with electric-railway systems which are actuated by the trolley wheel or shoe ofthe car running over the railway for operating the switches of electric circuits, which circuits may be employed for various purposes, as for controlling the feed-current for the conductor which gives the current to the car-motor for operating signals along the line of the railway or for other purposes.

The object of the invention is to devise a simple, practical, and generally satisfactory mechanism for the purpose indicated and one which may be applied in relation to the electric railway in a convenient mann er and which will be compact and unobtrusive in its disposition.

The devices of the present inventionare especially applicable and practical in conjunction with an electric-railway system employing what is termed a third-rail conductor, embodying in succession lengths or sections which are of suitable length-as, for instance, one thousand feet eachand which are insulated from each other, which railway system is described in Letters Patent of the United States issued to me August 10, 1897, No. 588,097.

The present improved appliances are fully and clearly described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, and are set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the drawings forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of an electric railway comprising the ordinary track-rails and the intermediate thirdrail conductor with a length of separating insulating material and showing the switch-operating devices which are controlled or actuated by the trolley or shoe which is understood as provided upon and depending below the motor-car which runs along this railway. Figs. 2 and 3 are substantially vertical sections longitudinally as taken on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, the parts being shown as in the normal and in the switch-closing positions corresponding to the different positions along the third-rail conductor of the running shoe or trolley also shown. Fig. etindicates rela- 6o tive positions of the separated contacts for one of the circuits and of the switch movable relative thereto for leaving the circuit open and for closing the same and as seen looking beyond the plane indicated by the line 4 4, Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference indicate cor responding parts in all of the views.

In the drawings, A A represent the usual track-rails, and B B represent portions of the third-rail conductors, shown as separated by the short section 0, understood as being of a few feet in length, of insulating material, and which may be advantageously of the same cross sectional form as the third rail B, the form of which may be variable.

The third rails 13, as well as the insulating material C, receive the running impact or contact of the shoe or underrunning trolley D, carried by the car or electric locomotive and in electrical connection with the motor thereof. It will be noted that the length of the trolley or shoe D is considerably less than that of said length 0 of insulating material.

Each of the insulating lengths or sections O has therein the vertical recess or aperture a, in which is located the depression member F, the same being mounted to swing on the horizontal pivot or rock-shaft b, which is suitably supported and journaled in and through the insulating-section O, crosswise thereof. The upper surface of this depression member F is rounded at its ends, as seen at c c, whereby the approaching shoe coming from either direction will not violently strike it, but will assume its depressing action thereagainst easily and without violence. A spring d is so applied as to normally maintain the depression member F in its elevated position-that is, so thatits upper edge willbe above the level I00 of the tread-surface of the rail-sections B G.

As shown in Fig. 1, the rock-shaft h, which is the center of the swinging motion of the depression member F, is laterally extended and supports at each end the double arms or diskf, which has two projections g g, which,as they are partially revolved as the member F is depressed and the shaft b rocked, are brought into contact with the contact members h h, which are the terminals of conductor-wires 2', comprised in suitable circuits employed for such purposes as may be desired. The projections g g, carried on a suitable common support f, constitute a switch for closing the circuit of which the terminals h h and wires Mare parts. As here shown, the opposite extremities of the single rock-shaft receiving its rocking motion by reason of the depression of the member 1*, carry at their ends the two switches, as seen in Fig. 1, one of which may be the switch for cutting in and cutting out the feed-circuit for the third-rail sectional conductors B B and the other for operating the electromagnet-releasing device, so that at the proper time the switches may open in the manner fully described in the aforementioned application, Serial No. 632,257.

I have incidentally shown in the drawings a depending plunger-rod j, pivoted to and hanging below the depression F, so as to move in unison with said member F, and by reason of the ratchet-teeth 7c thereon being engaged to serve as a detent to periodically hold said depression member down during such time, after it has been depressed by the shoe, as the car passes and thereby to hold the switches closed until the ratchet-teeth are released by the catch 7%, controlled by the armature of the electromagnet 0. In this railway system aft-er the shoe of the car has passed clear to and beyond the farther end of the third rail section B and into the next block or section this shoe in depressing the next depression member like the one F operates the switches and closes new circuits, whereby the feed-current is brought into the third-rail section D on which the car is running, and whereby the electromagnet 0, adjacent the insulating-section 0 next to the rear, is vitalized and in drawing its armature thereagainst permits the depression member F to rise under the stress of its spring, and the switches operated thereby would be open ed.

By making the insulating lengths 0 longer than the trolley the switches are operated to cut in one circuit and cut out the other when the current is dead, and consequently there will be no sparking or other injurious effect at the switches while they are being operated.

Inasmuch as I claim a depression member located within a recess in the section of insulating material between the adjoining ends of the third-rail conductors in combination with an electric switch or switches operated thereby under the movement thereof, I do not limit myself to any particular form of connection between the so-located depression member and the switch or switches.

I claim 1. In a third-rail electric-railway system in combination, the usual side-track rails, the intermediate third rail current conductor section B B, and a length 0 of insulating material between the adjacent third rail and the underrunnin g shoe or trolley which is shorter than said length of insulating material, said section and length 0 being adapted to receive alike the running impact of the underrunning shoe or trolley, and said insulating length having a recess or aperture therein, a depression member located in said aperture, having its upper edge normally above the tread-surface of said insulating material, and an electric switch operated by the movement of said depression member, substantially as described.

2. In an electric-railway system comprising a rail conductor and a length of insulating material between longitudinally-running sections thereof, of a depression member located adjacent said insulating material and mounted on a rock-shaft which it actuates, a part f mounted on said rock-shaft having two contact members 9 and two members adapted to be contacted on by said members g when the depression member is depressed and the shaft rocked, substantially as described.

3. In a third-rail electric-railwaysystem, the combination with the third-rail sections B B and the dividing length 0 of insulating material having the recess, of an electric switch, a depression member located in said recess and having its upper edge normally above the top of the tread-surface of said insulating material, and provided with a supporting-spring, and in moving serving to operate said switch, and provided with a depending ratcheted member, an electromagnet having an armature normally in position for engagement with said ratcheted member, and adapted when the magnet is vitalized to withdraw the armature from its said position of engagement, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 22d day of June, 1897.

LOUIS E. WALKINS.

Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLows, ill. A. CAMPBELL. 

